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Our  Task  in  China. 


A.  ITS  NATURE. 

Our  task  in  China  as  well  as  elsewhere  is  set  forth  in  the  parting 
command  of  our  Lord  and  Savior,  Mark  16, 15 ; “Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.”  These  words  also 
send  us  to  China,  to  all  China,  and  to  every  individual  of  China. 
Since  you  and  I are  sent  there  and  sent  to  preach  the  Gospel,  let  us 
first  investigate  why  this  is  necessary. 

Why  does  China  Need  the  Gospel? 

As  soon  as  anybody  gets  acquainted  with  the  Chinese,  he  sees 
that  they  are  not  a godless  nation  ('“godless”  in  the  primitive  sense 
of  the  word).  When  our  missionaries  go  to  our  Hwa  Pu  Kai 
(d^wabooguy)  chapel,  which  is  right  in  the  heart  of  the  native  city 
of  Hankow,  they  find  at  least  four  large  temples  within  two  short 
blocks  of  it.  If  they  walk  through  its  streets,  which  are  so  narrow 
that  a loaded  hay-wagon  could  hardly  pass,  they  are  sure  to  pass  one 
or  more  shrines  partially  obstructing  the  way.  If  they  go  into  the 
suburbs  or  still  farther  out  among  the  farms,  — more  properly  called 
gardens,  because  they  are  so  carefully  tilled.  — they  can  hardly  walk 
a mile  without  somewhere  encountering  a little  temple  of  the  Earth 
God  and  his  ever-faithful  spouse.  Even  if  they  flee  out  into  the 
solitudes  of  the  mountains,  they  will  find  temples  in  places  where  we 
would  least  expect  them  — in  caves  hewn  into  the  rocks,  in  places  of 
historical  interest,  and,  without  fail,  at  every  point  of  extraordinary 
beauty.  Temples  are  far  more  numerous  in  China  than  churches  are 
in  America.  Almost  every  heathen  house  is  a temple;  for  opposite 
its  main  door  you  will  find  a narrow  table,  which  is  used  as  a family 
altar  and  therefore  bears  an  incense-burner,  a soul-tablet,  a god  of 
wealth,  or  is  overhung  by  an  idol-picture  or  an  inscription  indicating 
who  is  worshiped  there. 

Some  of  the  temples,  it  is  true,  are  no  longer  used  for  worship. 
They  have  been  turned  into  government  schools,  or  are  used  for  police 
piirposes,  or  rented  as  dwellings  and  business  places.  Some  have  even 
been  sold  to  private  parties.  Wlien  one  of  our  missionaries  visited  the 
temple  of  the  God  of  War  in  Peking,  he  found  the  floor  literally 
covered  with  dust  over  two  inches  high,  and  on  the  Altar  of  Heaven, 
the  most  important  altar  in  China,  weeds  were  growing.  He  actually 
picked  a bunch  of  them,  intending  to  send  it  to  our  Board  (where  it 
should  have  been  more  welcome  than  a bunch  of  American  Beauties). 
But  a servant,  not  knowing  the  value  of  this  queer  posy,  threw  it  into 
the  garbage-can. 


4 


Such  sights  certainly  show  that  the  Christian  missionaries  have 
not  labored  in  vain  in  China.  But  these  cases  are  not  nearly 
numerous  enough  to  prove  that  idolatry  is  dead.  While  it  is  true  that 
temples  which  are  in  every-day  use  for  worship  are  not  to  be  found 
in  great  numbers,  at  least  not  in  Hankow,  there  nevertheless  are  such. 
They  may  be  seen  not  only  out  in  the  country,  but  also  in  the  very 
heart  of  the  city,  not  far  from  Christian  missions.  Many  of  them  are 
rich  in  marble  sculptures  around  the  front  courtyard,  above  which 
rise  columns  and  arches  of  richly  carved  wood,  covered  with  gold-leaf, 
while  the  roof  consists  of  glazed  tiles  laid  in  beautiful  patterns. 
These  must  have  cost  many  thousands  of  dollars.  Every  now  and 
then  you  encounter  a priest  or  two  with  a sign  on  his  back  and  a bell 
in  his  hand,  often  with  a thick  needle  driven  through  his  cheek  or 
some  other  part  of  his  body,  canvassing  every  house,  rich  or  poor,  to 
collect  money  for  repairing  or  building  a temple.  Though,  as  a rule, 
they  do  not  seem  to  get  large  sums,  they  are  seldom  turned  away 
empty-handed.  The  very  poorest  will  give  at  least  two  coppers.  The 
T’si  San  Hwei  (tsissahndjway),  or  Benevolent  Association,  of  Hankow, 
made  up  of  practically  all  the  Chinese  merchants  of  the  city,  is  doubt- 
less doing  something  for  the  relief  of  the  sick  and  the  orphans,  but 
thousands  upon  thousands  of  its  dollars  are  used  to  hire  Buddhist 
priests  to  “nien  chin,”  say  mass,  as  it  were,  for  the  welfare  of  the 
whole  city.  With  the  avowed  intention  of  counteracting  the  influence 
of  Christian  institutions  of  mercy,  they  have  built  a grand  Buddhist 
temple  in  the  midst  of  their  hospital  and  “orphan”-school,  and  over- 
topping the  whole,  in  which  these  masses  are  daily  and  punctually 
attended  to.  Our  missionaries  have  repeatedly  witnessed  the  ordina- 
tion of  Buddhist  priests,  especially  at  the  Kwei  Yuen  Si  (gway- 
uenssi'),  a very  ancient  monastery  southwest  of  Hanyang  (c^ahn- 
yang),  more  than  four  hundred  at  a time.  From  two  to  eight  little 
holes  are  burned  into  their  clean-shaven  foreheads  with  little  cones 
of  charcoal.  WTiere  there  is  such  a supply,  there  must  be  a demand. 
This  was  in  the  winter,  in  the  coldest  part  of  January.  On  the  other 
hand,  at  all  times  of  the  year,  even  in  the  hottest  part  of  the  summer 
season,  in  the  evening  you  will  see  crowds  standing  around  a man 
who  is  reading  the  “san  hsii”  (ssahnshii),  or  “good  books,”  which  is 
also  a movement  for  strengthening  heathendom,  especially  Confu- 
cianism. 

But  idolatry  is  not  at  all  dependent  upon  the  active  work  of  the 
priests.  It  is  deeply  seated  in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  These  are 
everywhere  performing  their  idolatrous  rites.  One  can  seldom  pass 
through  the  streets  without  seeing  some  one  burning  “spirit-money,” 
that  is,  coarse  yellow  paper  with  indentations,  every  one  of  which 
signifies  a dollar;  or  imitations  of  sycee,  a sort  of  silver  shoes,  made 
of  tin-covered  paper;  or  even  paper  houses,  as  offerings  to  their 


5 


ancestors.  Or  they  will  insert  sticks  of  Incense  or  burning  candles’ 
between  the  bricks  of  the  pavement.  Again,  a house  but  yesterday 
doing  business  will  suddenly  have  been  transformed  into  an  impro- 
vised temple,  in  which  a number  of  hosangs  or  taosi  (dphssangs, 
doussi),  i.  e.,  Buddhist  or  Taoist  (doiiist)  priests  — for  a considera- 
tion, of  course  — are  “reading  the  Sutras,”  that  is,  saying  mass. 
This  is  done  for  various  reasons:  either  for  some  one  who  has  died 
recently  or  years  ago,  that  they  may  he  delivered  out  of  the  “earth 
prison”;  or  to  appease  the  “hungry  ghosts”  of  those  who  have  no' 
“filial”  sons  to  burn  “spirit  things”  for  their  sustenance;  or  because 
their  house  has  not  burned  down  in  a recent  fire;  or  for  the  healing: 
of  a sick  child,  etc.  Now  and  then  you  will  hear  a mysterious  clangv 
issuing  from  within  a house  the  doors  of  which  are  tightly  closed,  and 
you  will  wonder  why  it  attracts  no  crowd.  Upon  inquiry  you  will  be 
warned  not  to  attempt  to  enter,  because  they  are  “sweeping  out  the 
ghosts.”  Or  you  will  call  upon  a neighbor,  and  he  will  tell  you  that 
he  must  absolutely  not  be  disturbed,  as  he  has  already  performed  the 
ceremonial  ablutions  and  donned  his  best  clothes  in  order  to  sacrifice 
to  his  ancestors.  The  very  children  will  be  seen  running  around  with 
amulets  of  cloth  monkeys  or  cash  dangling  from  their  necks  to  help 
them  across  the  twenty  “bars”  which  hinder  their  growth  into  man- 
hood (for  instance,  measles,  smallpox,  etc.),  and  if  by  the  wayside 
there  be  a booth  for  selling  playthings,  you  may  be  sure  that  among 
these  are  clay  imitations  of  the  principal  gods  and  goddesses. 

Two  classes  of  men  are  especially  well  patronized,  the  soothsayers 
and  the  sellers  of  charms,  whose  portable  tables  make  the  space  of  the 
none  too  broad  alleys,  here  called  streets,  still  narrower.  The  business 
of  the  former  has  been  reduced  to  a perfect  system  by  one  of  China’s 
foremost  character-heroes.  Wen  Wang,  more  than  three  thousand 
years  ago.  It  is  therefore  so  universally  held  in  awe  by  the  adherents 
of  all  religions  that  even  Si  Hwangti  (ssidjwang'dee),  when  he  burned 
all  the  other  books  213  B.  0.,  did  not  dare  to  interfere  with  this.  This 
has  made  divination  so  respectable  that  there  is  hardly  a temple  which 
has  not  a carefully  assorted  list  of  printed  passages  from  the  “I  Chin” 
(eedshin)  or  “Canon  of  Changes,”  or  a similar  device,  from  which  you 
can  by  lot  (bamboo  sticks)  choose  a declaration  of  your  future  fate. 
Of  course,  in  the  temple  this  is  done  with  some  ceremony  and  under 
the  guidance  of  a priest,  which  makes  it  much  more  expensive  than 
the  same  service  furnished  by  a wayside  stand. 

The  fear  of  ghosts  is  so  universal  that  it  is  reflected  by  the  posi- 
tion of  every  house-door.  This  will  never  be  exactly  opposite  that 
across  the  street,  lest  the  ghosts,  which  happily  can  travel  only  in 
straight  lines,  come  over  from  the  neighbor.  At  a time  when  an 
epidemic  of  smallpox  was  raging  in  the  city,  due  perhaps  to  the  fact 
that  a long  stretch  of  an  unspeakably  filthy  sewer  beneath  several  of 


6 


the  main  streets  was  beinsr  uncovered,  your  missionary  one  day  saw 
a very  fine  imitation  of  a steamship,  engine  and  officers  not  missing, 
exhibited  along  the  way.  During  one  of  our  evening  services  at  the 
Hwa  Pu  Kai  ((f}wahbooguy)  a long  procession,  gay  with  lanterns  and 
inscriptions,  escorted  the  ship  through  the  streets,  inviting  the  ghosts 
to  get  on.  Suddenly  the  whole  ship  was  unmercifully  cast  into  the 
Han  River.  Xear  our  Ta  Chi  Men  ( dahdsimmen')  School,  however, 
the  Smallpox  God,  an  ugly  black  monster,  was  carried  around  in 
solemn  procession,  and  no  one  dared  to  do  him  harm. 

You  naturally  ask  how  it  is  that  in  a place  where  the  Gospel  has 
now  been  preached  for  sixty  years,  as  is  the  case  in  Hankow,  and 
where  there  are  large  colonies  of  several  thousand  Europeans  of  all 
nations,  besides  thousands  of  Chinese  who  have  received  a good 
“Western”  education  and  can  converse  with  the  Europeans  in  their 
respective  languages,  — how  in  spite  of  all  this  enlightenment  so  much 
superstition  and  darkness  and  idolatry  can  still  survive,  sometimes  to 
be  practised  even  by  the  richest  and  most  highly  educated.  Perhaps 
you  may  even  poke  fun  at  such  nonsense  and  say.  If  the  Chinese  are 
such  fools,  how  can  they  expect  us  to  help  them? 

My  dear  friend,  one  day  your  missionary  was  called  to  an  epileptic 
who  was  getting  an  attack  of  fits  every  half  hour.  When  one  of  these 
fits  was  disfiguring  the  poor  fellow's  face,  a Chinese  standing  by  burst 
forth  into  loud  laughter  at  the  sight  which  to  him  seemed  so  comical. 
Would  you  want  to  be  like  such  an  ill-bred  fellow?  Would  you  not 
rather  have  done  as  your  missionary  did  — tell  him,  “Hush ! The 
poor  fellow  is  dying.  Hurry  and  take  him  to  the  hospital!”?  So  it 
is  with  these  poor  Chinese.  If  you  take  pains  to  investigate  this 
matter  further,  you  will  find  that  these  symptoms  betray  a very  serious 
disease,  a disease  that  means  not  only  death,  but  damnation.  For  it 
means  that  they  are  without  the  Gospel,  and  that  means,  without 
Christ,  their  Savior. 

The  temples  that  we  have  spoken  of  are  not  temples  of  the  living 
God,  but  of  idols.  If  they  are  Taoist  (douist),  it  is  very  likely  that 
they  are  erected  for  the  worship  of  U Hwang  Shangti  (XT  (f)wang 
ssangdi),  the  “Pearly  Emperor”  or  “Master  of  Heaven,”  a title  given 
to  one  of  the  Taoist  popes  in  the  year  748  by  Hsiian  Tsung  (Shiien- 
dsung)  of  the  Tang  djmasty.  Or  they  may  be  erected  in  honor  of 
any  of  a thousand  other  idols  they  worship.  If  they  are  Confucianist 
temples,  they  will  contain  no  cari-ed  image.  But  the  honors  given  to 
the  “Most  Holy”  — as  such  he  was  canonized  by  Chen  Tsung  (Dsiin 
Dsung),  the  Sung  emperor,  in  1012  — are  nothing  short  of  divine. 
If  they  are  Buddhist  temples,  they  are  dedicated  to  the  worship  of 
Amitabha,  or,  as  the  Chinese  call  him,  Omito  Fu,  a Bhodisattva  or 
Buddhist  saint,  of  the  Pure  Land  School,  who  is  said  to  have  promised 
all  that  “call  upon  his  name,  be  it  only  ten  times  or  less,  provided 


7 


they  have  not  been  guilty  of  the  five  heinous  sins  and  have  not  vilified 
the  true  religion,”  that  their  desire  to  be  reborn  in  his  “Paradise  of 
the  West”  will  be  surely  fulfilled.  Or,  possibly,  they  are  places  of 
worship  for  Kwanyin  (gwanyin),  the  Chinese  goddess  of  mercy,  who 
formerly  was  a man-god,  in  India  called  Avalokita,  thought  to  be  able 
to  assume  any  shape,  “Buddha,  goblin,  or  what  not,”  in  order  to  save 
men  from  misery,  and  who  for  some  seven  hundred  years  has  per- 
manently changed  into  a w’oman-god,  because  the  Buddhist  priests, 
ever  careful  of  “public  opinion,”  found  that  this  vastly  increased  her 
popularity.  So  none  of  these  gods  is  any  better  than  Dagon  or  Baal, 
or  even  Moloch,  in  whose  red-hot  arms  the  Canaanites  used  to  sacrifice 
their  children. 


Goddess  of  Mercy,  Kwanyin  (gwanyin),  in  the  Imperial  Palace 

at  Peking. 

This  goddess  has  1,000  hands  and  1,000  heads.  It  was  the  favorite  goddess  of 
Empress  T'si  Hsii  (tsishii),  who  had  some  200  missionaries  and  about 
2,000  Chinese  Christians  murdered. 

The  priests  of  whom  we  have  spoken,  if  devotees  of  Buddhism, 
may  at  times  appear  in  richly  embroidered  satins,  and  by  chanting 
their  Sutras,  or  “holy”  books,  or  by  marching  in  figures  and  carrying 
out  their  whole  elaborate  ritual,  may  very  much  impress  the  ignorant 
multitude ; yet  all  their  rosaries,  robes,  masses,  monasteries,  and 
nunneries,  together  with  their  mock  holiness  of  an  unmarried  life, 
has  no  other  object  than  to  draw  men  away  from  Christ,  the  true 
Savior.  In  order  more  thoroughly  to  mislead  the  multitude,  the  devil 
makes  such  men  willing  to  undergo  suffering.  But  that  will  not  open 
heaven’s  doors  to  them.  The  priests  of  Baal,  too,  cut  themselves  till 
the  blood  gushed  forth.  Therefore,  even  if  one  of  them,  as  it  is  said. 


8 


sat  with  his  face  to  a wall  for  nine  years,  in  rapt  meditation,  or  if 
one  of  the  Hanyang  hosangs  had  themselves  burned  alive  in  order  to 
go  directly  into  the  ‘Ture  Land”  of  the  “Western  Paradise,”  they 
neither  entered  nor  led  people  there,  but  both  deceiver  and  deceived 
went  to  the  place  of  eternal  torment. 

To  see  the  Chinese  so  often  and  so  reverently  think  of  their 
dead,  especially  their  deceased  parents  and  teachers,  is,  indeed,  very 
impressive,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  what  is  good  in  this  may  not 
be  lost  when  they  become  Christians.  But  the  honor  they  give  to 
their  ancestors  under  Confucian  influence  in  burning  incense  and 
candles  to  them,  sacriflcing  and  praying  to  them,  is  most  certainly  far 
beyond  what  is  proper.  It  is  idolatrous. 

As  to  their  childish  fear  of  ghosts  and  the  ridiculous  ways  of 
getting  rid  of  them,  we  had  better  not  ridicule  such  things.  Let  us 
rather  remember  that  things  but  little  less  ridiculous  have  happened 
and  are  happening  in  the  most  enlightened  countries.  They  only  go 
to  show  that  these  people  are  really  sitting  in  darkness,  in  the  valley 
of  the  shadow  of  death,  which  none  can  enlighten  but  Jesus,  the 
Light  of  the  World,  by  Ilis  Gospel. 

Perhaps  you  will  say:  But  I have  read  that  the  Chinese  have 
many  very  excellent  qualities.  This  is  true.  Your  missionaries  have 
seen  them.  The  Chinese  children  treat  their  parents  with  respect  and 
honor,  likewise  the  pupils  their  teachers,  and  the  younger  submit 
themselves  to  the  elder.  They  are  polite  to  a fault.  Their  desire 
not  to  hurt  your  feelings  will  actually  make  them  appear  deceitful. 
Upon  the  whole,  they  are  patient,  persevering,  and  peaceful.  If  they 
do  get  into  a flght,  and  you  step  in  to  make  peace  and,  in  doing  so, 
show  good  judgment,  you  may  not  only  succeed,  but  you  may  earn 
their  heartfelt  gratitude.  They  are  certainly  a sober  people.  For  two 
cents  they  can  get  whisky  enough  to  get  drunk,  but  cases  of  drunken- 
ness are  exceedingly  rare.  When  they  want  to  talk  politics,  they  do 
it  over  a cup  of  hot  tea.  The  chastity  of  the  betrothed  is  so  jealously 
guarded  that  young  people  when  about  to  be  married  are  not  allowed 
to  see  each  other  until  the  day  of  their  wedding.  Most  Chinese  are 
married.  Bachelors  and  old  maids  are  almost  unknown. 

Chinese,  doing  business  with  Chinese,  generally  deal  honestly, 
perhaps  because  they  realize  that  they  must.  If  a Chinese  sees  proflt 
in  any  undertaking,  he  is  generally  a hard  worker,  and,  if  there  is 
careful  supervision,  the  work  done  is  also  dependable.  A Chinese 
garden  is  about  as  perfect  in  being  free  from  weeds  as  it  can  be  made. 
Having  earned  money,  the  Chinese  also  knows  how  to  save.  In  our 
country  lawyers  and  politicians  are  usually  elected  to  high  office,  but 
the  Chinese  prefer  men  of  knowledge  and  learning.  H we  could  only 
get  them  to  revere  the  true  God  as  faithfully  as  they  do  their  ancestors 
and  their  idols,  erecting  Christian  churches  as  flne  and  spacious  as 


9 


their  temples,  worshiping  the  true  God  in  every  house  as  they  do  their 
idols,  rejoicing  over  the  birth  of  Christ  and  the  other  great  deeds  of 
God,  as  they  do  at  New  Year,  no  one  would  deny  that  they  would  be 
excellent  Christians  and  Lutherans. 

But  though  as  a nation  the  Chinese  may  in  their  natural  traits 
of  character  compare  favorably  with  any  heathen  nation,  our  own 
ancestors  not  excluded,  their  virtues  are  more  than  offset  by  glaring 
vices.  All  China  is  one  great  gambling  den.  The  sellers  of  lottery 
tickets  have  of  late  been  robbing  Hankow  of  more  money  than  all  the 
robber  chiefs  that  have  become  famous  since  the  time  of  the  Revolu- 
tion in  1911.  No  stores  in  the  city  are  so  gaudy  in  scarlet  paint  and 
electric  light  as  those  of  the  gamblers,  because  everybody  is  in  the 
game,  from  the  governor  to  the  burden-bearer.  Dishonesty  is  uni- 
versal in  China.  There  is  hardly  a business  but  has  its  “large”  scales 
for  buying  and  its  “small”  scales  for  selling.  Cloth  and  wire  are 
openly  stretched  that  they  may  go  farther,  and  unless  you  are  ever 
on  the  lookout  for  adulterations  and  makeshifts,  you  are  sure  to  be 
deceived.  As  three  Mohammedan  merchants  once  said  in  our  Hwa 
Pu  Ivai  chapel:  No  cheating,  no  business! 

Prostitution  is  very  common,  and  the  authorities  are  said  to 
reap  a large  part  of  their  income  from  it.  One  of  our  helpers  said 
that  in  certain  streets  not  far  from  our  chapel  there  was  hardly 
a woman  past  the  menopause  who  would  not  prostitute  her  body  for 
a consideration.  Although  public  exhibitions  of  shameless  pictures 
are  seldom  seen,  and  then  generally  in  connection  with  some  foreign 
enterprise,  obscene  pictures  of  the  grossest  kind  are  common  in  the 
peep-shows. 

Courts  of  law  are  more  or  less  open  to  bribery.  The  man  who 
has  the  “face,”  that  is,  the  standing,  generally  manages  to  get  the 
best  of  any  one  inferior  to  him.  Graft  is  general.  As  soon  as  the 
government  shows  the  slightest  weakness,  there  is  some  one  to  take 
advantage  of  it,  and  if  only  he  has  talent  to  lead,  there  is  no  lack  of 
reckless  followers.  Even  though  a case  may  already  be  decided,  there 
is  no  telling  when  it  may  be  reopened  and  the  decision  reversed. 

Suicide  is  very  common,  especially  among  women  who  consider 
themselves  slighted  or  oppressed.  But  when  it  is  carried  out,  whether 
by  women  or  men,  the  motive  is  generally  revenge,  because  the  person 
on  whose  account  suicide  was  committed  is  generally  made  to  suffer 
severely.  The  killing  of  newly  born  girl  babies  is  now  prohibited  by 
law.  But  what  is  a law  where  there  is  no  one  to  prosecute  the 
criminal  ? In  poor  families  where  more  than  two  or  three  girl  babies 
are  bom  they  are  almost  sure  to  be  drowned. 

But  the  worst  sin  of  all,  and  the  sin  from  which  all  the  others 
spring,  with  the  Chinese  as  well  as  with  us,  is  the  covetous  heart, 
which  looks  only  to  itself  and  its  own  gain,  thirsting  so  intensely  for 


10 


profit,  advancement,  and  power  that  it  does  not  hesitate  to  stamp 
down  any  and  every  competitor  or  foe  in  the  mad  rush  for  this  world’s 
happiness,  not  in  the  least  thinking  of  the  world  to  come  or  of  the 
inevitable  judgment  of  the  Most  High.  Unless  the  Lord  asserts  Him- 
self through  terrible  calamities,  calamities  that  are  universally  felt 
to  be  divine  punishments,  the  heathen  Chinese  will  forget  that  he  has 
a soul,  and  that  there  is  a final  judgment  and  an  eternity.  To  battle 
with  this  carnal  mind,  ever  drawn  earthward  as  though  by  a thousand 
devils  tugging  at  a thousand  chains,  that  is  our  never-ending  task  in 
China.  No  one  can  transform  such  a morass  of  corruption  and  filth 
into  a garden  of  God,  — no  one  but  Christ,  through  His  Gospel. 

And  how  many  are  there  of  those  to  whom  we  owe  this  Gospel? 
There  are  some  four  hundred  millions!  More  than  a himdred  thou- 
sand for  every  pastor  and  teacher  in  our  whole  S3niod,  more  than  six 
himdred  for  every  communicant  we  have,  male  or  female! 

What?  Hoes  our  dear  Lnrd  really  send  us  to  perform  such 
a stupendous  task?  He  does,  indeed!  “All  the  world”  includes  all 
China.  “Every  creature”  means  also  every  Chinese.  And  a Chinese 
belongs  to  the  world  and  to  China  only  while  he  is  still  among  the 
living.  Once  dead,  he  can  no  longer  be  reached  by  the  Gospel.  So 
we  had  better  become  active.  The  King’s  command  is  urgent.  Those 
to  whom  we  are  sent  are  dying  at  the  rate  of  seventeen  thousand 
a day. 

But  shall  we  ever  be  able  to  accomplish  it?  — My  dear  friend, 
are  you  a Christian,  a Lutheran  ? If  not,  then  this  does  not  concern 
you.  If,  however,  you  are  a child  of  God,  you  need  only  be  reminded 
of  one  thing:  It  is  Christ  who  sends.  This  is  certain ; He  knows  what 
He  is  about.  And  if  you  but  do  your  duty,  take  that  Gospel  that  He 
has  given  you  and  see  that  it  reaches  the  Chinese,  you  will  find  that 
His  command  has  been  well  considered;  for  as  a machine  gun  is 
a weapon  vastly  different  from  a bow  and  arrow,  so,  too,  the  Gospel 
is  “the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth.” 
With  this  Gospel  in  your  hands,  if  you  but  do  your  whole  duty,  the 
battle  is  sure  to  be  won.  Therefore,  having  considered  our  task,  let 
us  now  turn  to 

B.  ITS  SOLUTION. 

I.  What  We  have  been  Doing. 

At  the  present  time  we  are  laboring  at  three  places:  Hankow, 
Shihnanfu,  and  Ichang.  The  last  of  these  stations,  opened  in  Sep- 
tember, 1921,  upon  resolution  of  the  conference  gathered  at  Kuling 
July  11  to  August  7,  is 

Ichang  (eetsang').  It  is  a “fu,”  or  departmental  city,  of  at  least 
55,000  people,  200  of  whom  are  Europeans.  The  town  is  situated  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Yangtse,  397  miles  above  Hankow  and  ten  miles 


11 


below  the  beautiful  Yangtse  gorges.  In  passing  these  the  river  forms 
dangerous  rapids,  not  navigable  for  ordinary  steamers.  Therefore 
passengers  coming  here  from  Hankow  must  disembark,  and  goods 
sent  through  here  must  be  rehandled.  This  alone  would  make  it 
desirable  to  have  a mission-station  here,  because  we  have  work  farther 
west  at  Shihnanfu.  But  the  chief  reason  for  locating  a mission- 
station  here  is  because  Ichang  is  at  the  eastern  end  of  a vast  territory 


Map  of  China  Showing  Location  of  Hupeh  Province  together  with 
Our  Three  Mission-Stations. 

Kikungshan  (dshigungssahn)  and  Kuling  (guling)  are  summer-resorts. 

At  Peking  Is  the  language  school.  Shanghai  Is  the  landing-place. 

hardly  yet  touched  by  missionaries,  as  we  shall  see  when  speaking  of 
the  next  station. 

The  missionaries  stationed  at  Ichang  are  Rev.  Geo.  O.  Lillegard 
and  his  wife,  members  of  the  small  Norwegian  Synod,  which  is 
a member  of  the  Synodical  Conference,  and  which  will,  if  possible, 
support  this  mission  alone.  Quite  an  undertaking  for  a body  having 
only  33  pastors  and  supporting  a professor  at  St.  Paul!  May  God 
bless  the  plucky  little  band  and  by  their  example  teach  us  that  we  can 
maintain  a body  of  one  hundred  missionaries  in  China  and  India, 
if  we  try  seriously. 


12 


When  Rev.  Geo.  O.  Lillegard  was  sent  to  Ichang,  fighting  between 
the  northern  and  southern  forces  was  in  progress,  and  a battle  was 
impending.  This,  however,  did  not  deter  him  from  going  up  and 


Map  of  Hankow,  Wuchang,  and  Hanyang  Showing  Location  of 
Our  Ten  Mission-Chapels. 


trying  to  rent  a house.  When  he  had  accomplished  this  and  returned 
to  get  his  wife,  his  colleagues  asked  him  how  he  had  been  able  to 
rent  a house.  He  answered  that  the  impending  battle  had  helped 
him.  The  Chinese  considered  their  houses  safer  in  our  hands  than 


13 


in  their  own.  They  were  right.  Ichang  had  been  looted  several  times 
by  soldiers  who  were  not  receiving  their  pay,  and  sometimes  even 
foreign  property  had  suffered.  But  never  had  any  mission-property 
been  harmed,  nor  any  missionary.  What  a change  compared  with 
1900,  when  the  Empress  Dowager,  Tsi  Hsii  (T'sishshii)  had  200 
foreign  missionaries  and  2,000  Chinese  Christians  killed  and  wanted 
the  Boxers  to  drive  all  the  foreigners  out  of  China! 

Shihnanfu  (ssinnahnfu)  and  neighborhood  have  been  occupied  by 
our  missionaries  since  March,  1920,  when  the  Kevs.  Erhard  Riedel, 
Arnold  Gebhardt,  and  Hugo  Gihring,  the  first  and  last  with  their 
wives,  went  there.  It  is  also  a departmental  city  of  some  30,000 
inhabitants,  situated  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Chin  Kiang  (tshin- 
dshiang),  a tributary  of  the  Yangtse.  It  takes  ten  days  to  get  there 


Our  Shihnanfu  School,  May,  1921. 

To  left  Rev.  A.  Gebhardt,  in  center  Rev.  E.  Riedel.  Some  of  these  children  are 
blind  ; they  were  taught  a trade. 


from  Ichang  by  the  land  route,  afoot;  up  the  dangerous  rapids  by 
native  junks,  and  from  Tai  Chi  (dye  tehee)  overland  it  used  to  take 
just  about  the  same  time.  But  with  the  powerful  engines  of  the  new 
Dollar  Line  steamers  the  distance  of  130  miles  to  Tai  Chi  can  be 
covered  in  one  day,  which  shortens  the  trip  from  Ichang  to  Shihnanfu 
to  five  days.  This  is  a great  relief  to  our  missionaries  in  case  of 
sickness  since  there  is  no  foreign  doctor  nearer  than  Ichang. 

Are  we  to  be  criticized  for  going  into  this  out-of-the-way  field? 
Such  criticism  would  be  made  without  a knowledge  of  the  conditions. 
According  to  the  Christian  survey  of  China  recently  made  by  the 
China  Continuation  Committee,  no  region  in  all  China  is  in  greater 
need  of  Protestant  mission-work  than  this.  Eor  on  their  map,  shown 
on  page  14,  all  the  surrounding  district,  having  a population  of  more 
than  three  million  people,  is  marked  dark  as  night,  because  among 
lOflOO  heathen  there  is  not  yet  one  Christian  communicant.  It  ill 


14 


M;jp  showing  progress  of  Protestant  missions  in  Hupeh  Province.  Compare  variously  sliadod  portions  of  province  with  the 
little  squares,  1 — 8.  In  portions  marked  like  sq.  1 there  is  not  even  one  communicant  to  every  10,000  inhabitants ; 
sq.  2 = 1 — 5 communicants:  sq.  3 = C — 10;  sq.  4 = 11 — 20;  sq.  5 = 21 — 30;  sq.  G = 31 — 40;  sq.  7 = 41 — 50; 


15 


behooves  a large  Christian  body  like  ours  to  see  such  conditions  and 
yet  countenance  excuses.  Eather  should  we  bend  all  our  efforts 
toward  sending  out  a sufficient  number  of  men,  so  that  missionaries 
can  he  placed  not  only  in  Shihnanfu  proper,  but  also  in  all  the  im- 
portant cities  siirrounding  it.  At  the  same  time  we  should  provide 
those  who  go  there  with  modern  buildings  to  live  in.  We  also  ought 
to  have  a hospital  and  foreign  doctors  of  our  own  at  Shihnanfu,  not 
only  for  the  sake  of  the  missionaries,  but  still  more  for  the  sake  of 
the  Chinese  themselves.  To  illustrate  this,  let  me  tell  you  a story. 

Your  missionary  was  on  his  way  to  our  Ta  Chi  Men  (dah- 
dsimmen')  school  on  a cold  winter’s  morning.  In  passing  one  of  the 
miserable  huts  lining  the  way,  he  saw  a man  laid  out  on  the  road 
to  die.  He  spoke  to  the  poor  fellow,  but  there  was  no  answer.  He 
touched  him,  but  he  would  not  stir.  He  was  just  about  dead.  No 
wonder,  for  his  clothes  consisted  only  of  a thin  cotton  jacket  and 
trousers  with  no  underwear.  Your  missionary  had  the  poor  fellow 
carried  to  the  London  Hospital.  To  his  astonishment,  when  he  called 
the  next  day,  the  man  was  still  alive.  The  following  day  he  uttered 
a few  sounds,  although  still  unconscious.  After  that  he  improved 
day  by  day,  so  that  we  could  speak  to  him  about  the  salvation  of  his 
soul.  Ultimately  he  left  the  hospital  a healed  man.  H your  son 
would  have  been  the  physician  used  by  God  to  help  this  poor  fellow, 
would  you  not  rejoice?  The  Episcopal  Church,  according  to  its  last 
report  (for  1920),  had  51  hospitals  in  China,  in  which  411,000  Chinese 
in  the  midst  of  their  distress  found  out  on  their  own  bodies  the  dif- 
ference between  heathen  superstition  and  stupidity  and  Christian 
love.  We  may  say  that  is  none  of  the  Church’s  business.  But  it 
certainly  is  a way  by  which  the  Church  can  make  them  listen  to  its 
message  and  imderstand. 

The  work  at  Shihnanfu  has  been  suffering  much  of  late  because 
the  region  west  of  Ichang  has  been  the  seat  of  active  war  operations 
between  the  northern  and  southern  forces.  Between  October  27  and 
November  6 the  city  “changed  hands  four  times,  was  bombarded 
twice,  captured  by  force  of  arms  twice,  and  once  looted.”  The  last 
time  a Chinese  tailor,  who  had  taken  refuge  in  our  chapel,  was  shot 
to  death  through  our  front  door.  Thank  God,  no  attempt  was 
made  to  harm  our  missionary.  Brother  A.  Gebhardt,  and  that  Eev.  L. 
Schwartzkopf,  who  was  to  take  the  place  of  Eev.  E.  Eiedel,  had  been 
advised  to  stay  at  Ichang  for  the  time  being.  Under  such  conditions 
mission-work,  of  course,  cannot  prosper. 

But  such  conditions  are  exceptional.  Eev.  E.  Eiedel  has  already 
done  considerable  work  in  the  city,  so  that,  after  normal  conditions 
will  have  been  restored,  we  shall  doubtless  soon  hear  of  the  first 
Christians  to  be  baptized  by  us  there.  Eev.  A.  Gebhardt  has  been 
laboring  in  the  villages  to  the  North. 


16 


Once  well  under  way,  th.is  station,  situated  among  a more  stable 
population  than  we  have  in  Hankow  and  farther  away  from  its  many 
temptations,  may  yet  prove  the  most  satisfactory. 

Hankow  is  our  oldest  station.  It  is  a city  of  some  1,000,000 
people,  situated  in  the  very  heart  of  China,  600  miles  from  the  sea, 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Yan^se  and  the  Han  Eiver,  at  the  point 
where  both  meet.  Together  with  Wuchang  (wootsang'),  the  capital 
of  the  province  of  Hupeh  (c^oobeh),  a city  of  600,000  people,  and 
Hanyang',  the  most  ancient  of  the  three  cities,  with  more  than  200,000 
people,  it  forms  the  most  populous  center  of  all  China,  similar  to 
Chicago  in  the  United  States.  These  “Wuhan”  cities  are  the  seats 
of  considerable  manufacturing  industries  and  of  a large  commerce, 
the  latter  carried  on  chiefly  by  large  river  craft  and  even  ocean 
steamers,  but  also  by  a railroad,  connecting  it  with  Peking  in  the 
north,  and  Changsha  and  beyond,  in  the  south,  not  to  speak  of  the 
thousands  of  junks  and  boats  penetrating  all  the  surrounding  country. 
The  chief  centers  of  foreign  trade  are  naturally  the  Concessions, 
British,  Russian,  French,  former  German,  and  Japanese.  These,  with 
their  clean,  well-drained,  broad  streets,  electric  lights,  and  running 
water,  their  excellent  police  system  and  fire  protection,  together  with 
their  large  modern  business  houses  and  warehouses,  are  a constant 
object-lesson  of  civilization  to  the  Chinese.  But  most  of  our  work 
self-evidently  must  be  outside  the  Concessions. 

During  1921  Rev.  H.  Bentrup,  who  had  just  begun  work,  but  was 
much  hindered  by  the  condition  of  his  eyes,  had  charge  of  two  chapels 
and  two  schools.  One  was  Yin  Wu  Chow  (dso),  south  of  Hanyang, 
where  on  Pentecost  Sunday  he  could  baptize  10  heathen.  This  station 
came  into  our  hands  by  the  action  of  three  Chinese  Lutheran  Chris- 
tians who  had  been  converted  in  the  Norwegian  Mission  Society  of 
Hunan  and  had  applied  to  us  for  an  evangelist  through  one  of  our 
Hunanese  helpers.  The  other  station  was  near  the  Lao  Ewan  Miao 
(Lou  Gwan  Miou).  Both  had  flourishing  schools. 

Rev.  L.  Meyer,  who  has  been  in  active  work  since  the  autumn  of 
1919,  has  had  charge  of  four  chapels  and  four  schools.  Most  of  the 
schools  have  several  teachers  (13  in  all).  The  first  chapel  to  be  taken 
over  from  Rev.  E.  Riedel  by  Rev.  Meyer  was  that  at  the  San  Hsin  Kai 
(ssahn  shin  guy).  It  has  a boys’  school  of  40  and  a girls’  school 
of  20.  The  next  to  be  opened  was  the  San  Yuen  Li.  Here  he  has 
spent  most  of  his  time,  and,  as  a rule,  employed  the  best  teachers 
available,  so  as  to  make  it  a model  for  the  rest  of  his  work.  It  is 
therefore  the  farthest  advanced  (seven  classes)  and  the  best  attended 
of  all  our  schools,  having  had  at  one  time  some  190  pupils.  Besides 
these  two  city  chapels  he  has  also  two  out  in  the  country,  one  at 
Sen  Kia  Ki  (ssendshiadshee'),  with  40  boys  and  30  girls  in  the  school 
and  one  at  Lo  Kia  Ten  (lodshiaden'),  with  a single  school,  also 


ir 


B.ev.  H.  Bentrup’s  Pentecost  at  Yinwucho'w,  1921. 

Ten  heathen  converts  were  baptized.  Mr.  Ma,  the  evangelist,  to  the  right  of  the 
missionary.  Some  in  this  group  were  catechumens.  Three  Lutheran  Christians 
at  Yinwuchow,  who  had  been  converted  in  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  Mission, 
applied  to  us  for  an  evangelist  and  a teacher. 


Rev.  L.  Meyer’s  San  Yuen  Li  School. 

Boys  with  their  teachers  and  Mr.  Cheo  to  left.  Girls  with  their  teacher  to  right. 
Here  Rev.  Meyer  spends  most  of  his  time  and  employs  his  best  teachers,  making 
it  his  model  school.  It  is  also  our  largest  school,  having  had  as  many  as 

190  pupils. 


18 


prosperous.  This  coimtry  work  is  rendered  very  difficult,  because  it 
is  so  hard  a task  to  find  helpers  that  can  be  depended  upon  to  do 
their  duty  without  being  visited  every  few  days.  Let  us  all  pray  God 
to  give  us  faithful  helpers.  — Both  evangelists  and  teachers  had 
regular  meetings  with  their  missionary. 

One  of  the  features  of  all  this  work  that  will  cause  special 
rejoicing  in  the  hearts  of  our  readers  is  that  among  the  pupils  there 
were  so  many  girls,  and  that  at  the  San  Yuen  Li  a large  class  for 
women  could  be  maintained  by  Mrs.  Meyer. 

In  addition  to  this  work  Rev.  L.  Meyer  had  charge  of  a little 
hospital  and  dispensary  with  a Chinese  doctor  and  nurse.  We  were 
enabled  to  open  this  hospital,  because  Mrs.  Klein,  formerly  a physician 
of  the  Yale  Mission  at  Changsha,  now  married  to  a Lutheran  busi- 
ness man,  offered  to  supervise  the  work  free  of  charge.  Rev.  Meyer 


Our  Girl  Pupils,  May  29,  1921,  together  with  Mrs.  Meyer’s 
Women’s  Class  at  the  San  Yuen  Li  School. 


also  was  the  secretary  of  our  Ruling  and  Hankow  Conference  and 
the  treasurer  of  our  whole  mission,  both  of  which  duties  took  much  of 
his  time. 

Rev.  E.  L.  Arndt,  in  active  work  since  September,  1913,  also  had 
charge  of  four  chapels  with  13  teachers.  In  connection  with  the 
Hwa  Pu  Kai  (c^wahbooguy)  Chapel  there  were  3 male  and  one  female 
teacher.  Their  schools  were  attended  by  55  boys  and  15  girls.  Con- 
nected with  the  Hai  Sheo  Li  (diyssohlee)  Chapel  there  were  5 teachers, 
one  of  them  a woman.  Their  schools  were  attended  by  87  boys  and 
18  girls.  The  Hwa  Chin  Kai  (c^wahdshinguy)  Chapel  had  3 teachers, 
one  a woman,  with  46  boys  and  14  girls.  The  Man  Chwin  (mahn 
tchwin)  Chapel  school  had  an  attendance  of  eleven  during  the  day 
and  five  in  the  evening.  Besides  this  we  had  a school  among  the 
famine  sufferers  during  April  and  May  attended  by  some  20  pupils. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  1921,  our  whole  mission  had  the  joy  of  wel- 
coming in  its  midst  the  Rev.  Friedrich  Brand,  First  Vice-President 
of  the  Missouri  Synod  and  General  Secretary  of  its  foreign  missions. 


19 


Haisheoli  (ciiaissoli)  School,  Opened  June  1,  1914. 

In  center  Mr.  Hsieh.  Having  been  received  into  a Christian  orphan  asylum 
of  the  Norwegian  Hauge  Synod,  he  had  never  known  heathendom  from 
personal  experience.  He  is  no  longer  living. 


Our  Evangelists,  after  having  been  Examined  in  the  Christian  Creed 
by  Vice-President  F.  Brand,  Director  of  Missions. 

The  examination  took  place  June  4,  1921.  Since  then  these  men  have  attended 
an  evangelists’  school. 


20 


who  remained  with  us  till  the  middle  of  September.  He  visited  all 
our  stations,  examined  our  ten  evangelists,  held  two  meetings  with 
our  Christians,  and  one  general  rally  of  all  our  Hankow  forces  on 
May  29,  which  was  attended  by  more  than  160  Christians  and  cate- 
chumens and  some  500  pupils  of  our  day-schools,  100  less  than  had 
been  attending  them.  These  were  absent  because  the  Dragon  Festival 
was  approaching. 

From  July  11  to  August  7 we  met  in  conference  with  Rev.  Brand 
at  Ruling,  where  we  send  our  wives  and  children  during  July  and 
August.  How  we  rejoiced  to  have  all  of  our  missionaries  gathered 
together,  especially  those  who  during  the  previous  summer  had  re- 


Our  Conference  at  Kuling,  July  11  to  August  7,  1921. 

Upper  row.  left  to  right ; Mrs.  and  Rev.  L.  Meyer,  Mrs.  and  Rev.  Geo.  O. 
Lillegard,  Rev.  E.  L.  Arndt. 

Lower  row,  left  to  right : Rev.  E.  Riedel,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Schwartzkopf  and 
son.  Rev.  H.  Gihring,  Vice-President  F.  Brand,  Mrs.  Riedel  and  son,  Mrs.  and 
Rev.  H.  Bentrup  and  son.  Rev.  A.  Gebhardt ; below ; Dorothea  and  Paul  Riedel. 

mained  at  Shihnanfu!  And  what  a treat  it  was  to  have  a series  of 
doctrinal  discussions  and  common  services  again  and  to  meet  at  the 
Lord’s  Table!  But  the  chief  object  of  our  deliberations  naturally 
was : — 

II.  What  Is  to  Be  Our  Duty  in  the  Future? 

In  the  first  place,  we  were  all  agreed  that  our  duty  in  China  is 
not  to  extend  as  far  as  possible  our  work  in  Hankow  or  at  Shihnanfu 
or  at  lehang,  however  necessary  that  may  be  to  begin  vnih,  but  that 
it  is  our  duty  to  bring  the  Gospel  to  all  China.  To  restrict  our  efforts 
to  a small  mission-field  may  seem  very  plausible  wisdom  to  our  Old 
Adam,  but  it  is  not  right.  1)  It  is  a clear  violation  of  the  parting 
command  of  our  dear  Savior.  2)  It  is  not  commensurate  with  the 


21 


superabundance  of  means  and  men  wbich  God’s  grace  has  showered 
upon  us.  3)  To  take  a back  seat  when  humility  demands  it  may  be 
;good  Lutheranism,  but  to  lag  behind  others  when  duty  calls  is  rank 
heresy  and  directly  opposed  to  every  symbol  in  the  Book  of  Concord. 
4)  There  is  not  a Chinese,  no  matter  how  filthy  or  far  gone  he  may 
he,  who  is  not  worth  having.  The  price  that  has  actually  been  paid 
for  his  soul  settles  that  beyond  a doubt.  Our  motto  must  therefore 
he;  All  China  for  Christ! 

To  accomplish  this,  we  realized  that,  first  of  all,  every  one  of  us 
must  do  his  best.  We  have  therefore  taken  steps  to  promote  among 
ourselves  and  our  wives  a more  extensive  study  of  the  language.  We 
have  acknowledged  it  as  a principle  that  even  in  midsummer,  when 
the  heat-equator  is  almost  over  our  heads,  our  stations  should  not  be 
left  entirely  vacant.  We  have  set  it  down  as  a rule  that  our  wives 
also  must  do  as  much  work  among  Chinese  women  as  their  position 
permits  them  to  do.  Realizing  that  any  army,  in  order  to  do  its  best, 
must  be  organized  and  have  unity,  we  have  tried  to  organize  our  work 
•on  as  uniform  a basis  as  possible.  On  the  other  hand,  we  have  also 
realized  that  to  insist  on  all  sorts  of  changes  in  the  Chinese,  simply 
because  we  are  not  used  to  them,  would  be  unwise  and  un-Lutheran, 
and  we  have  taken  steps  to  avoid  this.  Above  all,  the  conditions 
which  prevail  among  all  the  other  Christian  missionaries,  who  were 
gathered  at  Ruling,  and  who  are  now  cleft  into  two  parties,  demon- 
strated to  our  very  eyes  how  dangerous  it  is  to  be  in  the  least  care- 
less about  matters  of  doctrine,  and  as  we  are  in  special  danger  to  be 
off  our  guard  in  this  respect,  we  have  strengthened  one  another  in 
•every  conceivable  way  for  the  purpose  of  fighting  for  the  truth.  On 
the  other  hand,  since  it  is  always  necessary  to  win  not  only  a man’s 
head,  but  also  his  heart,  we  have  exhorted  each  other  to  deeds  of  love. 
For  the  same  reason  we  believe  that  it  is  no  waste  of  money,  energy, 
•or  men  to  found  hospitals,  orphan  asylums,  etc.,  but  rather  the 
reverse. 

Howevbr,  in  order  that  none  of  our  resources  be  wasted,  and  that 
■our  missionaries  may  be  able  to  do  their  best,  we  also  considered  it 
necessary  that  Synod,  as  soon  as  possible,  buy  property  and  erect 
suitable  buildings.  To  make  the  buildings  stand  firmly,  they  must 
have  a foundation;  to  make  them  dry,  there  must  be  air-spaces 
heneath  the  floor  and  in  the  walls ; to  make  it  possible  to  heat  them, 
they  must  have  chimneys;  and  for  purposes  of  ventilation  they  must 
have  windows.  This  is  aU  the  more  necessary  because  suitable  dwell- 
ings in  Hankow  are  getting  so  rare  that  they  can  hardly  be  procured 
•even  at  a rent  that  is  preposterously  high,  while  in  Shihnanfu  there 
are  no  modern  buildings  whatever. 

In  order  that  our  missionaries’  time  may  not  be  wasted,  it  is  also 
•clear  that  something  will  have  to  be  done  for  the  education  of  their 


22 


growing  families.  While  this  is  not  a pressing  matter  just  now,  it  is 
necessary  to  make  haste  if  we  want  to  have  property  at  Kuling,  where 
such  a school  may  be  erected.  We  have  therefore  petitioned  Synod 
to  buy  thirteen  certain  lots  while  they  are  yet  to  he  had. 

Again,  in  order  that  the  Word  of  God  may  spread  as  far  as 
possible,  we  must  make  more  use  of  the  printed  page.  Small  and 
young  as  our  mission  is,  we  have  already  made  a good  beginning. 
Revs.  E.  Riedel  and  A.  Gebhardt  have  translated  “Christian  Questions 
and  Answers.”  Rev.  L.  Schwartzkopf  has  published  a little  prayer- 
book  patterned  after  our  Habermann.  With  the  help  of  kind  and 
able  friends  practically  our  whole  hymn-book  has  been  translated  inte 
Chinese  verse,  336  hymns  having  already  been  printed  in  “Srmg  Chii 
Si  Ko”  (ssi  go),  a hymn-book  as  genuinely  Lutheran  as  our  own, 
and  used  in  the  whole  “Lutheran  Church  of  China.”  Other  works 
are  in  preparation:  a complete  translation  of  o\ar  whole  Synodical 
Catechism,  the  Book  of  Concord  (one-third  finished),  three  sermon- 
books  on  the  three  series  of  texts  used  in  the  above  church,  a liturgy, 
a trimonthly  bulletin,  and  various  tracts.  All  the  sound  Lutheran 
literature  that  we  can  get  out  is  going  to  be  a God-send  not  only  to- 
our  own  Christians  and  helpers,  but  to  the  whole  Lutheran  Church 
of  China,  which  will  gladly  receive  and  use  as  much  of  it  as  we  can 
produce.  Think  of  the  influence  for  good  that  we  can  thus  exercise! 
Was  there  ever  a more  glorious  opportunity  for  God-pleasing  pub- 
licity? But  to  do  such  work  takes  time,  time  which  in  the  present 
undermanned  state  of  our  forces  must  be  actually  stolen  from  the- 
time  that  should  be  spent  on  the  street,  in  the  chapels,  in  the  schools, 
and  in  Chinese  homes.  Our  staff  ought  to  he  so  well  manned  that 
we  could  let  one  brother  devote  his  whole  time  to  such  work.  And 
when  he  and  the  printer  have  finished  their  work,  there  are  bills  to 
pay;  for  these  books  cannot  pay  for  themselves  and  help  to  support 
the  China  mission  as  our  Concordia  Publishing  House  does  in 
America.  Almost  all  such  literature  must  either  be  given  away  or 
sold  at  a “loss.”  Here  is  an  opportunity  for  some  one  to  turn  this 
“loss”  into  a gain  both  for  himself  and  the  whole  Lutheran  Church 
of  China.  From  two  to  eight  hundred  dollars  will  finance  some  of 
these  undertakings,  and  it  virtually  means  to  preach  to  the  Chinese- 
yourself  in  “a  thousand  voices,”  and  that  to  a select  audience  of 
Christians  and  church-workers.  ISTow,  who  is  still  singing;  “Oh,  that 
I had  a thousand  voices!”? 

If,  however,  we  are  in  earnest  about  winning  all  China  for  Christ,, 
it  is  clear  that  this  cannot  be  done  by  missionaries  from  America 
alone.  We  must  train  Chinese  workers.  As  they  are  not  laboring 
among  an  imcivilized  people,  it  is  also  necessary  that  their  education 
be  as  thorough,  both  in  imparting  knowledge  and  in  building  up- 
character,  as  it  is  at  home.  We  have  therefore  resolved  to  begin  ant 


23 


Evangelists’  School  for  our  future  pastors  and  a Middle  School  for 
our  future  teachers.  The  former  has  already  been  started.  But  how 
weak  and  how  small!  The  three  men  that  we  have  at  Hankow  are 
hardly  equal  to  the  task  of  keeping  up  and  extending  the  mission- 
work  already  begun.  How  can  they  do  justice  to  a new  theological 
seminary  and  a normal  school,  both  of  which  are  more  difficult  to 
conduct  in  China  than  in  America,  partly  because  our  professors 
themselves  have  yet  so  much  to  learn,  partly  because  they  have  no 
adequate  Lutheran  literature  to  use?  The  very  terms  they  are  to  use 
in  discussing  theological  problems  are  often  yet  to  be  discovered. 

Yet,  formidable  as  this  difficulty  is,  it  is  by  no  means  the  greatest. 
The  gi’eatest  difficulty  is  how  to  procure  suitable  students  for  such 
an  institution.  Are  we  to  start  a higher  course  of  learning  and  invite 
to  study  any  one  who  may  volunteer  to  come?  If  we  do,  our  “semi- 
nary” will  soon  be  filled,  to  be  sure;  for  the  Chinese  are  all  very 
eager  to  get  an  education,  especially  if  we  engage  foreigners  as  our 
teachers.  They  will  pay  us  money  to  have  the  privilege,  provided  we 
teach  them  what  they  want.  But  what  will  they  do  with  the  knowl- 
edge acquired?  They  will  use  it  in  business.  And  even  though  we 
were  inclined  to  let  one  who  is  ready  to  do  it  teach  religion,  if  his 
heart  is  not  in  it,  what  will  be  the  result?  ISTothing  but  a sounding 
brass!  There  is  no  way  out  of  this  difficulty  but  to  get  more  mis- 
sionaries to  work  in  order  to  win  more  Christians.  First  Christians, 
then  students!  That  is  the  only  way. 

But  how  will  we  get  the  greater  number  of  foreign  missionaries  ? 
We  must  send  them.  “But  we  sorely  need  them  at  home.”  My  dear 
friend,  if  we  wait  until  they  are  no  longer  needed  at  home,  we  shall 
never  get  them.  We  had  such  a time  some  twenty  years  ago.  What 
did  we  do  ? Did  we  say ; How  is  our  opportrmity ; now  let  us  enlarge 
our  territory  in  the  heathen  countries  ? No.  We  cut  down  the  supply. 
There  were  those  who  cried,  “Overproduction!”  And  there  was 
a veritable  stampede  away  from  our  institutions.  And  now?  We 
could  use  hundreds  of  pastors  and  teachers  in  Germany,  in  Czecho- 
slovakia, in  Poland,  in  Russia,  in  South  America,  and  all  over  the 
world,  especially  in  the  two  great  heathen  countries  of  India  and 
China.  No,  let  us  never  again  cry,  “Overproduction!”  There  never 
has  been  such  a thing  as  an  overproduction  of  faithful  pastors  and 
teachers.  When  Wyneken  once  formd  people  in  Germany  who  thought 
so,  he  was  driven  by  the  Spirit  to  exclaim:  “Oh,  that  they  might 
be  choked  by  the  very  bread  they  eat,  those  men  who  can  sit  about 
here  idle,  waiting  for  a position  as  pastor  while  they  know  that  in  the 
American  backwoods  there  are  thousands  who  are  hungering  for  the 
Bread  of  Life  without  a pastor  ready  to  break  it  to  them!” 

There  is  perhaps  no  Protestant  body  in  America  to-day  with  so 
large  a number  of  young  men  in  its  institutions  who  have  promised 


24 


to  enter  the  ministry  or  become  Christian  teachers,  as  our  Missouri 
Synod.  Take  them  at  their  word.  Show  them  how  sorely  they  are 
needed.  If  any  of  them  think  of  breaking  away,  instead  of  helping 
them  to  find  a good  excuse,  ought  we  not  to  tell  them  that  to  do  such 
a thing  under  the  present  circumstances  is  a sin?  For  that  is  what 


it  is.  If  we  do  not  tell  them,  they  may  yet  accus<*  us  before  the 
judgment-throne,  when  those  to  whom  they  should  have  ministered 
will  rise  up  against  them  and  us  to  remind  us  of  our  callousness  and 
indifference  with  respect  to  their  pitiable  condition.  How  can  we 
dare  to  face  Him  as  judge,  who  for  the  sake  of  these  benighted  people, 
as  well  as  for  us,  left  the  glories  of  heaven,  bore  all  tbeir  sins,  atoned 


Our  Latest  Arrivals,  November,  1921. 

Left  to  right:  Rev.  and  Mrs.  II.  C.  Klein,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  A.  Scliolz,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  II.  \V.  Tlielss. 
Miss  O.  Gruen,  Rev.  M.  Zsehlegner.  The  rest  are  San  Francisco  friends,  who  saw  them  off  at  the  dock 


25 


for  them  with  His  own  heart’s  hlood,  and  secured  for  them  a com- 
plete pardon,  if,  when  He  wanted  us  to  do  no  more  than  to  bring 
them  the  message,  we,  partakers  of  the  same  grace  as  they,  sought 
excuses  and  considered  our  own  petty  business  more  important! 

Let  us  also  not. waste  any  of  the  man-power  already  standing  in 
line  and  at  work.  War  times  have  taught  us  that  a suit  may  be  made 
to  hide  much  more  nakedness  and  give  life-protecting  warmth  for 
a long,  long  time,  if  only  we  be  not  too  particular  about  style  and 
not  mind  a few  patches.  When  souls  are  pouring  down  into  hell  in 
one  country  alone  at  the  rate  of  seventeen  thousand  a day,  we  had 
better  not  insist  upon  style  and  no  patches.  On  the  contrary,  ought 
we  not  do  all  in  our  power  to  make  the  pastors  and  teachers  already 
in  the  work  last  as  long  as  God’s  grace  enables  them  to  serve  our 
congregations  and  Christian  schools  ? Even  when  they  think  of  laying 
down  the  burden,  ought  we  not  to  encourage  them  to  bear  it  longer? 
Let  us  help  them  to  labor  on.  Let  us  bear  with  them.  Every  man 
persevering  at  his  post  helps  to  release  some  one  who  can  be  sent  to 
the  front  trenches.  Every  day  longer  that  you  hold  out  at  home  has 
this  salutary  effect,  that  it  enables  the  Church  of  God  to  send  out 
some  one  else  to  the  heathen.  During  the  late  war,  in  hunger-ridden 
Germany,  if  anybody  would  have  deliberately  taken  bread,  meat,  or 
other  life-preserving  victuals  and  wasted  them  publicly,  — would  he 
not  have  been  punished?  Verily,  he  might  have  been  mobbed,  and  it 
is  doubtful  whether  he  would  have  found  any  sympathy,  even  in  the 
halls  of  justice,  since,  virtually,  he  was  a murderer,  because  in  conse- 
quence of  his  wastefulness  somebody  was  being  starved  to  death. 
Why,  then,  do  we  see  men  about  to  quit  work  in  the  Lord’s  vineyard 
or  already  standing  idle  who  could  still  very  well  do  service?  And 
why  are  we  not  troubled  about  it?  If  we  investigate,  we  shall  find 
that  in  the  depths  of  our  heart  there  is  indifference  to  soul-murder. 
If  there  were  not,  would  not  some  of  the  waste  that  has  been  going 
on  in  our  own  midst  have  troubled  us  and  driven  us  into  a rage? 
Let  the  conviction  live  amongst  us  that  it  is  a duty  to  conserve  our 
man-power,  and  that  it  is  a sin  to  waste  it,  and  we  shall  always  have 
plenty  of  men  to  spare  to  send  to  the  heathen. 

So  much  for  o\ar  task  in  China.  We  have  found  it  to  be  a great 
task.  But  it  is  not  a hopeless  one.  The  Gospel  of  Christ  is  mighty 
to  save  the  Chinese  as  well  as  the  Americans.  The  really  difficult 
part  of  our  task  has  already  been  accomplished  through  the  precious 
blood  of  the  Son  of  God  and  is  continually  being  carried  through  to 
a triumphant  end  by  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  For  us  it  but 
remains  prayerfully  and  cheerfully  to  submit  to  His  guidance,  and 
the  victory  is  won. 


26 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 

Are  there  autos  in  Hankow?  — Yes,  for  the  rich  business  men, 
foreign  and  Chinese,  in  the  Concessions.  The  missionaries  can  hardly 
use  them,  for  the  longest  road  available  goes  only  seven  miles  out 
into  the  country.  Beyond  that  — the  wheelbarrow. 

What  do  the  farmers  raise  ? — In  China  there  are  no  farmers, 
only  gardeners.  They  raise  rice,  wheat,  oats,  millet,  soy-beans,  sweet 
potatoes,  and  a wealth  of  vegetables,  also  many  fruits.  They  also 
raise  cotton,  hemp,  sesamum,  tea,  vegetable  wax,  and  many  kinds  of 
drugs  and  dyestuffs;  also  mulberry-trees  for  the  silkworms.  Their 
animals  are  few : the  water-buffalo,  the  donkey,  the  Manchurian  pony, 
the  razor-backs;  also  chickens  and  ducks< 

What  wages  do  the  Chinese  pay  ? — That  depends.  A common 
tailor  or  a copper-hammerer  will  get  as  low  as  7 cents  a day.  A mill- 
hand  gets  3 dollars  a month.  A carpenter,  25  cents  a day.  Our 
teachers  and  evangelists  are  paid  6 .to  7 dollars  a month.  But  if 
a man  can  do  work  that  will  satisfy  a foreigner,  he  expects  and  gets 
a good  deal  more. 

Is  traveling  cheap?  — Yes,  very  cheap,  if  you  put  up  with  con- 
ditions. A Chinaman  who  will  sleep  anywhere  on  deck  and  eat  bare 
rice  can  get  from  Hankow  to  Shanghai  on  a fast-running,  lai^e 
steamer  for  2 dollars.  Many  missionaries  travel  first-class  Chinese, 
which  means  a good  state-room  and  good  Chinese  food  the  same  way 
for  about  6 dollars.  But  their  rooms  are  not  heated  in  winter  and 
have  no  fan  in  summer.  Besides,  they  must  take  with  them  their 
bed-clothing,  as  the  bunk  contains  only  a mattress.  As  burden- 
carriers  are  cheaply  obtained,  this  is  no  hardship.  If  one  wants 
foreign  food  and  foreign  accommodations,  the  same  trip  may  cost 
17  to  25  dollars. 

Do  the  Chinese  still  wear  queues  ? — Barely.  If  so,  they  are 
liable  to  be  chopped  off  when  they  come  to  Hankow. 

Are  your  evangelists  all  Christians?  — Yes,  and  as  far  as  our 
knowledge  goes,  we  could  ordain  at  least  one  of  them.  The  teachers, 
too,  are  almost  all  Christians.  The  few  who  are  not  are  catechumens, 
who  are  either  not  allowed  to  teach  religion  or  help  at  doing  it  in 
such  a way  that  the  work  is  virtually  done  by  the  missionary. 

Are  your  Christians  contributing  any  money  to  support  the  mis- 
sion?— Yes,  a little.  Perhaps  we  should  have  devoted  more  time  and 
pains  to  teach  them  systematic  giving  in  spite  of  the  small  amounts 
(in  United  States  money)  that  they  are  able  to  pay;  for  if  wisely 
and  economically  expended  by  them,  they  can  do  a great  deal  of 
church- work  with  a small  amount  of  money.  For  school  purposes  our 
mission-pupils  have  probably  already  paid  some  2,500  dollars  in 


27 


United  States  gold  these  nine  years.  As  to  other  contributions,  we 
have  been  urging  them  continually  to  help  us  in  mission-work.  That 
counts  most  and  has  often  been  done. 

Will  the  Chinese  stand  firm  in  times  of  temptation  ? — Trials 
and  temptations  sift  the  Chinese  just  as  well  as  they  do  us.  We  have 
had  some  sad  cases  of  backsliding  where  least  expected.  But  we  have 
also  experienced  the  reverse.  One  of  our  first  Christians  persisted  in 
praying  aloud  daily  every  morning,  although  beaten  for  it.  A car- 
penter’s wife  was  so  indignant  because  her  husband  wanted  to  become 
a Christian  that,  when  the  missionary  called  in  his  absence,  she  would 
follow  him  with  vile  language  as  long  as  she  could  see  him.  Yet  he 
became  a Christian.  He  did  not  even  use  violence  to  bring  her  to 
terms,  although  Chinese  custom  would  have  permitted  that.  An  old 
lady’s  son  was  so  embittered  at  the  idea  of  his  mother’s  becoming 
a Christian  that  he  declared  to  her  face  that  she  was  not  his  mother  — 
an  insult  of  which  a decent  heathen  would  never  have  become  guilty. 
Yet  at  the  appointed  time  she  was  there  to  receive  baptism,  and  her 
only  sorrow  was  that  her  little  grandson,  that  father’s  son,  could  not 
he  baptized  with  her.  Whenever  he  is  not  at  home,  the  little  boy  is 
always  in  church  at  her  side,  and  her  constant  hope  and  prayer  is 
that  he  may  yet  come  to  Jesus.  Even  children  have  refused  to  wor- 
ship the  idols,  though  beaten.  They  were  good  children,  too. 

ADDITIONAL  INFORMATION. 

Read  our  synodical  papers.  The  articles  which  have  so  far  ap- 
peared about  our  China  Mission  are  found  in  — 

Missionsbriefe,  Vols.  I — lY,  1911 — 1916.  A small  number  of 
copies,  not  quite  complete,  are  yet  to  be  obtained  from  E.  L.  Arndt, 
c.  o.  Rev.  Lor.  Meyer,  11  Milan  Place,  French  Concession,  Hankow. 
Price,  75  cts.  in  United  States  5-cent  stamps. 

Missionstaube,  1913  ff.,  especially  after  1917. 

Lutheraner,  1917  ff. 

Lutheran  Witness,  1917  ff. 

Wanim  will  es  in  China  nicht  schneller  licht  werden?  Sold  by 
Concordia  Publishing  House,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Good  books  on  China  can  be  found  in  every  public  library.  H 
they  should  not  have  them,  vT-ite  to  the  proper  officials  and  get  them 
to  buy  them  for  you ; — 

Wells,  William,  The  Middle  Kingdom.  New  York.  Scribner’s, 
1907. 

Couling,  Samuel,  Encyclopaedia  Sinica.  London.  Oxford  Univ, 
Press.  1917. 

Bashford,  J.  W.,  China;  an  Interpretation.  New  York.  Abingdon 
Press. 


28 


Hirth,  Fr.,  The  Ancient  History  of  China.  New  York.  Columbia 
University.  1908. 

Li  Ung  Bing,  Outlines  of  Chinese  History.  Shanghai.  Commer- 
cial Press.  1914. 

Ross,  E.  A.,  The  Changing  Chinese.  New  York.  Century.  1911. 

King,  F.  H.,  Farmers  of  Forty  Centuries.  New  York.  Mac- 
millan. 

Hawkins,  Geography  of  China.  Shanghai.  Commercial  Press. 

Smith,  A.  H.,  Village  Life  of  China.  New  York.  Eevell.  1899. 

Du  Bose,  The  Dragon,  the  Image,  and  the  Demon.  New  York. 
Armstrong  & Son,  714  Broadway. 

Soothill,  W.  E.,  The  Three  Religions  of  China.  London.  Hodder 
and  Stoughton.  1913. 

Groot,  J.  J.  M.,  The  Religion  of  the  Chinese.  New  York.  Mac- 
millan. 1910. 

Soothill,  A Mission  in  China.  Edinburgh.  Oliphant,  Anderson, 
and  Ferrier. 

If  you  have  any  more  questions  or  requests,  write  to  any  of  our 
missionaries,  whose  addresses  you  will  find  in  the  Lutheran  Annual. 
If  your  questions  are  of  general  interest,  they  may  be  answered  in 
the  synodical  papers. 

The  following  sets  of  slides  may  be  obtained  from  the  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions  through  Rev.  Herm.  Hohenstein,  3506  Caroline  St., 
St.  Louis,  Mo. : — 

1.  Our  Mission  in  China. 

2.  Heathendom  in  China. 

3.  The  Making  of  a Missionary. 

4.  All  China  for  Christ. 

5.  China’s  Only  Hope.  (The  latter  is  in  the  possession  of  the 

Walther  League,  6638  Eggleston  Ave.,  Chicago,  111.) 


